Cessna C-303 accident near Hickory, North Carolina, February 13, 1984
On February 13, 1984 at about 2:54 am local time, a Cessna C-303, registered N9457C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hickory, North Carolina (Hickory Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 1984 · about 2:54 am local time
- Place
- Hickory, North Carolina · Hickory Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-303
- Registration
- N9457C · no longer on the register · serial 130300177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT OVERRAN THE RWY AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING A NIGHT LANDING. THE FLT WAS HAMPERED BY AN INOPERATIVE HEATERAND A DOME LIGHT THAT COULD NOT BE TURNED OFF. THE RWY SUGGESTED FOR USE WAS SHORT WITH A DECOMMISSIONED VASI SYSTEM. THE PLT SAID SHE LANDED LONG AND WAS LATE IN DETECTING THE RWYS END. THERE WERE SKID MARKS ABOUT 15 FT LONG ON THE RWYS END.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,614 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 4,325 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 365 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 9, 1983; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,150 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 AE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Ft. Lauderdale FL at 11:25 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 19, 4,399 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from HKY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.